I thank everybody for being here this morning. I thank the ushers and cleaning and catering staff for their extraordinary work in these extraordinary times. I also thank the Clerk, Mr. Martin Groves, and Ms Bridget Doody, who do extraordinary work behind the scenes in the Seanad office, getting all amendments, legislation and other business ready each morning. I know the process now as I see it from my new position and it goes late into the night. Senator Paddy Burke knows this from his time in the Chair.

I also thank the Ceann Comhairle for the use of this historic Chamber. It is a mark of how extraordinary are these times when the Seanad is sitting in the Dáil Chamber. I hope that over the next few weeks Members will get a break from work and have some time to spend with family and friends. I look forward to seeing everybody again in September.

I concur with the Cathaoirleach's remarks of thanks to the Ceann Comhairle and the staff in the Seanad office and the Houses of the Oireachtas in general for their work over the past hectic and somewhat chaotic number of weeks and in these unprecedented times. With late sittings and the new positions in which we find ourselves, they have done a tremendous job. I wish everyone well for the recess and I hope everyone gets a nice break here in Ireland. Perhaps they might come to Galway West and Connemara if they so wish, or to all of Galway, including Ballinasloe.

The Senator does not want vote slippage.

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re the second report of the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 2, motion re earlier signature of the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Covid-19) Bill 2020, to be taken at the conclusion of No. 1, without debate; No. 3, all Stages of the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill 2020, to be taken at 12.15 p.m., with the time allocated to the group spokespersons on Second Stage not to exceed eight minutes, the time for all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, with the Minister to be given no less than eight minutes to reply and Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately thereafter; and No. 4, motion re the earlier signature of the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill 2020, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 3, without debate.

I join the Cathaoirleach in thanking all the staff here and I know some of them had a very late night. I hope we will not be still here at 2.40 a.m. tomorrow. I thank all the staff for facilitating us and the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to use the Chamber. It has been a particular honour and I have now sat in this Chamber as a Senator for more days than I did as a Deputy.

This is the final day before the summer recess and although the Houses will not sit, there are cheap headlines coming from certain journalists that seem to suggest Members of the Oireachtas are going on six weeks of holidays. It is incumbent on the Houses of the Oireachtas press office to address this. Members will take a break.

I hope everyone enjoys it and spends time in Ireland. I will be taking a few days in Galway. I hope the Deputy Leader will come to Wexford. The idea that Members do not work when the Houses are not sitting is misinformed and nonsense. People here will be working on policy, meeting with different groups and dealing with individual representations. I ask that the Houses of the Oireachtas look at addressing some of those misleading headlines.

We will not be sitting in August but it was in August 1970 that the Social Democratic and Labour Party was formed. The men and women involved in those early days consistently advocated policies that, through peaceful means, supported engagement, conciliation, social justice, the unity of this island and Ireland playing a constructive role within the European Union. Leaders such as Gerry Fitt, Seamus Mallon, Austin Currie and Bríd Rodgers charted a difficult course but it was the position advocated by the SDLP that ultimately underpinned the peace process. The SDLP was, of course, led by John Hume for a long time. I consider him the greatest living Irish person. His actions more than anyone else's led to the peace process that shapes Ireland's future. In that regard, I am sure the Deputy Leader and other Members of the House will join with me in wishing the current leader of the SDLP, Colm Eastwood, and its members a very happy 50th birthday and in thanking that party for the enormous contribution it has made in shaping the future of this island.

I concur with the previous speakers. Today we deal with very important legislation, the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill 2020. Let us hope we do not have a reoccurrence of what happened in the Lower House yesterday. I appeal to all democrats to support open, healthy discussion. As a revising chamber, it is our job to revise legislation and to look at all amendments and to give them serious consideration. It should be remembered that it was not too long ago that half of the Government were on the opposite benches in the Dáil, hurling all sorts of political accusations at the other party for its failures in the areas of housing, healthcare and disabilities. I could go on listing a raft of things. They should not forget where they came from. They are in government for the moment but who is to say that they will not be back on the hustings in six months' time arguing a different story? It is important to respect both sides. I respect the Government as it has a democratic mandate but those of us on this side of the House also have a mandate and we should be facilitated in scrutinising legislation. The last Taoiseach, now Tánaiste, came to this House and stressed the importance of this Chamber, the Seanad, as the revising chamber of these Houses. That is important.

As we wind down for the summer recess, it is important to look at a few things. We have had a hectic time as politicians but also as people and citizens of this country. We have had a general election and a Seanad election. We had a major crisis in healthcare, which has not gone away. We have a crisis in housing and our economy is flat on the ground and needs help. Brexit lies ahead of us. There has been Covid-19 and the associated forced closure of essential services. We should think of the disabled people, those who were locked in their homes and those who could not say goodbye to their husbands, partners and loved ones because of Covid. None of us caused this but these are tough, harsh times. I have no doubt they will get harder in the future.

I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Deputy Varadkar, who led the outgoing Government, for his steady, sure hand with regard to Covid. That has to be acknowledged. He was professional and steady, as were all involved. I also acknowledge the work of Fianna Fáil with regard to the confidence and supply agreement which allowed all that to happen. We saw good co-operation. Co-operation is key. Above all else, I thank the community call, the people in every one of the 31 local authorities who enlisted volunteers. That was important. Finally, I thank the Oireachtas team, particularly Martin Groves, Bridget Doody and their team. I also thank the ushers, the caterers, the attendants and all of the people who make these Houses, the family of the Oireachtas, work as well as it does. I thank them because it is important to do so.

As I leave for the summer recess, I plead for Members to respect and support one another in this Parliament. I ask that we give legitimacy to criticism and scrutiny of legislation. I ask Members over the summer to think about pledging not to facilitate or acquiesce to the guillotining of legislation or the ramming through of every stage of a Bill in one day. That is not good for democracy. For the sake of the people of this country, we should not do it. Let us think about that before going away and let us come back with vigour and a commitment not to acquiesce to that type of abuse of the democratic process.

Hear, hear.